Frequently Asked Questions

When was the last refinery built in the United States?

There were a total of 141 operable petroleum refineries in the United States as of January 1, 2017.

The newest refinery in the United States is the Magellan Midstream Partners LP 42,500 barrels per calendar day (b/cd) condensate splitter in Corpus Christi, Texas. Condensate splitters are distillation units that process condensate, which is lighter than crude oil. Splitter capacity is included as atmospheric distillation units in Energy Information Administration (EIA) data. The Magellan Midstream Partners LP unit, which began operating in 2017, was operable but not running at the start of the year, so its capacity was listed as idle in the Refinery Capacity Report (see link below in Learn more).

However, the newest refinery with significant downstream unit capacity is Marathon's facility in Garyville, Louisiana. That facility came online in 1977 with an initial atmospheric distillation unit capacity of 200,000 b/cd and as of January 1, 2017 had a capacity of 543,000 b/cd.

Capacity has also been added to existing refineries through upgrades or new construction. Some recent examples of large increases include:

In 2015, Valero expanded its Corpus Christi, Texas refinery after previous expansions, bringing its capacity to 293,000 b/cd as of January 1, 2017.

In 2012, Motiva upgraded its refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, making it the largest refinery in the United States with a capacity of 603,000 b/cd as of January 1, 2017.